Artificial Intelligence in Social Media: University Students’ Experiences Across AI-Driven Platforms

Abstract

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence into social media platforms has fundamentally transformed the nature
of digital participation, raising critical questions about user autonomy, information exposure, and platform governance. This
study examines the extent to which artificial intelligence influences the social media practices of university students, a group
characterized by intensive platform use and formative information consumption. Data were collected from 750
undergraduate students (aged 18–22) of Turkish cultural background residing in Northern Cyprus, Türkiye, Germany, the
United Kingdom, and 15 additional countries. Contemporary social media platforms operate as AI-driven environments that
shape what users see, how they engage, and how they interpret information. This study demonstrates that university
students are deeply embedded in AI-driven social media environments, where algorithmic systems play a central role in
shaping engagement, information exposure, and everyday digital practices. However, this integration does not translate into
meaningful user control. The findings reveal a consistent pattern in which higher levels of AI-Driven Engagement &
Personalization, AI Influence on Social Media Habits, and AI and Misinformation Exposure coexist with significantly lower
levels of AI Awareness & Control, indicating a structural imbalance between user participation and user empowerment. The
strength and direction of these relationships suggest that the limitations users experience are not solely individual but are
closely linked to the design and operation of AI-driven platforms. Despite increased awareness, users remain constrained in
their ability to interpret, question, and influence algorithmic processes. This challenges the assumption that awareness alone
is sufficient to foster autonomy in digital environments.